Systems and methods of engine stop/start control of an electrified powertrain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535233-B2
Application number	US-201916574871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed provide for receiving internal information, external static information, and external dynamic information of a hybrid vehicle, and selectively enable or disable a stop/start function for the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on the internal hybrid vehicle information, external static information, and external dynamic information. The stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an internal information module structured to receive internal information regarding operation of a hybrid vehicle;
an external static information module structured to receive external static information for a route of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the external static information is based on a position of the hybrid vehicle on the route;
an external dynamic information module structured to receive external dynamic information for the route of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the external dynamic information is based on the position and a time of travel of the hybrid vehicle at the position; and
an engine stop/start module communicably coupled to each of the internal information module, the external static information module, and the external dynamic information module,
wherein the engine stop/start module is structured to:
determine an upcoming turn based on the external static information and an associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn,
selectively enable and disable a stop/start function for an engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least two of the internal information, the external static information, or the external dynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle, and
disable the stop/start function for the engine in response to determining the associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the engine stop/start control module is further structured to disable the stop/start function for the engine based on at least one of an instantaneous road grade, an upcoming turn radius, weather information, road condition information, or traffic condition information in additional to the power steering requirement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPS location information and map-based database information, and
wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to:
determine an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of GPS location information and map-based database information, and
disable the stop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

4. A system, comprising:
an engine; and
a controller communicably and operatively coupled to the engine, the controller structured to:
receive at least two of internal information, external static information, or external dynamic information;
determine an upcoming turn based on at least one of the internal information, external static information, or external dynamic information, and an associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn;
selectively enable and disable a stop/start function for the engine based on the at least two of the internal information, the external static information, or the external dynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine; and
disable the stop/start function for the engine in response to determining the associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external dynamic information includes an ambient weather condition, and
wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to disable the stop/start function based on a difference between an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

7. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a controller of a hybrid vehicle, internal hybrid vehicle information, external static information, and external dynamic information;
determining, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming turn based on the external static information and an associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn;
selectively enabling or disabling, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, a stop/start function for an engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least two of the internal hybrid vehicle information, the external static information, or the external dynamic information, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle; and
disabling, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, the stop/start function for the engine in response to determining the associated power steering requirement for the upcoming turn.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said selectively enabling or disabling includes disabling the stop/start function for the engine based at least one of an instantaneous road grade, an upcoming turn radius, weather information, road condition information, or traffic condition information in additional to the power steering requirement.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPS location information and map-based database information, and
wherein the method further comprises:
determining, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of the GPS location information and the map-based database information; and
disabling the stop/start function for the engine at each location where the upcoming road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

10. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a telematics unit and a motor/generator,
wherein each of the motor/generator and the telematics unit are coupled to the controller.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the external dynamic information includes ambient weather condition, and
wherein said determining includes disabling the stop/start function for the engine based on a difference between an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

13. The system of claim 4 , wherein the system is included in a hybrid vehicle.

14. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further structured to disable the stop/start function for the engine based on at least one of an instantaneous road grade, an upcoming turn radius, weather information, road condition information, or traffic condition information in additional to the power steering requirement.

15. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPS location information and map-based database information, and
wherein the controller is further structured to:
determine an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of GPS location information and map-based database information, and
disable the stop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

16. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external dynamic information includes ambient weather condition, and
wherein the controller is further structured to disable the stop/start function based on a difference between an ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold in additional to the power steering requirement.

17. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Follen Kenneth M
• Gopal Arun Prakash Thunga
• Sujan Vivek A
• Tulpule Pinak Jayant
• Sane Mugdha S

Classifications

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60W2556/65

  Data transmitted between vehicles · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• F02N2200/123

  Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals · CPC title

• B60W10/30

  including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps · CPC title